Father Knows Best
by BatmanSwiss
Summary: A look at Link and Zelda's relationship through the eyes of her father. **I have decided to turn this into a collection of stories from the King's perspective.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: My first attempt at LoZ! I have a few other ideas in my head, but for some reason this was easiest to start with.

Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately.

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Father Knows Best

The sun had set hours ago, signaling the end to the day's business. The king stood at his window, staring out into the night, when he heard a soft knock at his door.

"Enter."

The door swung open, admitting the castle steward. "I beg your pardon, Your Highness. I know it is late…."

The king turned from the window and glared at him. "Out with it, man."

"Your Highness, the guards noticed a young boy sneaking around the castle grounds. He seemed to be leaving the royal wing, but he disappeared before the guards could apprehend him."

A smile threatened at the corners of the king's mouth, and he turned back to the window to hide it. He could just make out the small figure he had been watching earlier, now climbing down from the castle wall and into the town beyond.

He could hear the rustle of cloth as the man behind him fidgeted. The king schooled his features, and then turned back to face him.

"Yes, I know about our visitor," he replied calmly. "This not the first time he's been here, and I am sure that it will not be the last."

The steward's eyes bulged, and for a moment the king thought they might pop out of his head. "You-you know of this, Your Highness?" he managed to sputter.

The king nodded. "Of course. What kind of a monarch doesn't know of the comings and goings to his own castle? And what kind of father doesn't know when a boy is sneaking in to see his daughter?"

A moment passed as the steward regained his composure, and then he asked, "do you wish to have the boy arrested, Your Highness? I can increase the guard near the Princess's room. I assure you he will not bother her again-"

"No," interrupted the king, "leave them be, for now."

The expressions crossing the man's face made the king want to smile again, but he managed to keep his lips in check. Instead, he began to explain.

"Relax, Andrew. The boy means no harm towards my Zelda. He is the same lad that warned us of Ganandorf's treacherous plot. Lady Impa has advised me that his tale is to be believed, and I trust her judgment implicitly. Besides," he began, "if he were to try anything, I am sure that Lady Impa would set him straight. If she ever catches him, he'll wish the guards had gotten him first!"

This time the smile did break through, and it seemed to relax the worried steward. "Of course, Your Highness. But, if I may, do you not think it is highly improper for a common boy to be sneaking into the Princess's rooms at night?"

"Of course it is," was the king's response. "But that is why I am allowing it. Zelda needs a friend her own age, and it's good for her to learn how to bend the rules and have a little fun. I love my daughter, but she is too serious all of the time.

"Now, if that is all, Andrew, you are dismissed for the evening. And please tell no one of this conversation."

Andrew took his cue and bowed deeply before exiting the room. The king turned back toward his window and stared where he had last seen the green cap and tunic. He smiled again, and then began to prepare for bed. Yes, the boy was common. But he was also brave, and the king could tell that he adored Zelda. And it did not take a scholar to see how Zelda felt about him as well.

 _I should have Impa work with the boy_ , he thought as he crawled into bed. _She'll turn him into a proper knight, worthy of my little girl._

As he pulled the covers close, he cast a glance to the empty half of his gigantic bed _._ He knew what real love felt like, and he would make sure that his daughter had the chance to know as well.


	2. Heartache

Disclaimer:  Still not mine

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Heartache

It was mid-spring when Link set off on his quest.

King Daphnes did not need his spies to tell him that Link had disappeared from Castle Town. He could tell immediately just by watching his daughter. Her eyes had seemed a little darker, the sparkle that had illuminated them dulled significantly. She had been so lost for the first few days, though the king doubted that anyone outside of himself or Impa had noticed. Zelda was always so calm and collected on the surface. You had to know what to look for when it came to the emotions of the young Princess.

The months passed slowly in Hyrule Castle. Spring changed to summer, and every evening Daphnes would see Zelda sitting at her window, waiting for the boy in green to come home.

And one morning, the Goddesses answered his little girl's prayers.

They had just finished bidding farewell to visiting delegates from across Hyrule. A cool breeze ruffled the king's hair, bringing with it the first hints of autumn. He welcomed the change; the summer months had been brutal, causing a certain level of sluggishness across the kingdom.

The dignitaries from the visiting races had just disappeared into the city when he heard Zelda gasp beside him. He turned to look, taking in the site of a small filly, her rider dressed all in green.

Before another breath was drawn, the princess had launched past her father and the surrounding guards. She flew toward the rider in a flurry of golden hair and pink silks, halting only as she remembered herself. Small porcelain hands smoothed her skirts, and she took the last few tentative steps forward.

Daphnes watched as Link greeted the princess with a lopsided grin. He dismounted in one fluid motion, both feet barely touching the ground before he dropped to one knee. They stayed like that, frozen in time until the boy broke the spell and stood once more.

Decorum forgotten, Zelda threw her arms around her friend and cried tears of joy at his return.

After that day, Hyrule Castle seemed to liven up considerably. Most attributed the change to the cooling weather, the soft breezes that blew through the wide windows of the castle chasing away the sloth which had settled in during summer months. But King Daphnes knew better.

A few weeks after Link's return, Daphnes stared through the clear glass window of his study. A fire burned in the hearth nearby, a steady reminder that the relief autumn had brought would soon turn to a different type of temporal discomfort. A quiet knock at the door brought the king away from his view of the courtyard below.

"Come in."

A green-capped head poked through the door. Normally Andrew, the castle steward, would have announced any guests, but Daphnes had given him the afternoon off to enjoy the Harvest Festival in town. The man worked too hard.

"You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"

Daphnes nodded, motioning for the boy to have a seat in one of two plush chairs near the window. Once Link was settled, the king took the other seat.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Daphnes watched as Link's eyes took in the room, slowly coming to look out the tall glass pane to his left.

"You broke her heart, you know."

Blue eyes snapped back toward the king, but Link remained silent.

Daphnes sighed. He stood, walking back to his place before the window and renewing his vigil of the courtyard below. Zelda sat amongst the flowers, unaware of the audience above.

"She would never say it, but I could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. For months, she showed no true joy. I cannot tell you how many nights I found her asleep beside her window, waiting for you to come back…."

He shook his head to clear the memories. Another sign escaped his lips, a calloused hand running down his face as he took a seat once more. "Do you care for my daughter?"

Link paused for a moment in surprise, but there was no hesitation in his voice when he answered, "I do."

Daphnes leaned forward, his elbows resting on his silk-clad knees. "Then I want you to promise me something."

"Anything, Your Highness."

"If you truly do care for her, and I can see in your eyes that you do, then I want you to promise me that she will never have to feel that hurt again."

He watched as the boy absorbed the words carefully. This was not a simple request from his king, but a lifelong promise from a father who loved his daughter dearly. There would be no going back on his word, though Daphnes knew enough of the boy to know that his word was his bond.

After a moment of careful consideration, Link nodded. "In a time that I thank the Goddesses she will never see, I promised my sword to your daughter. I will keep that oath as long as the Goddesses allow."

Daphnes shook his head, the firelight dancing on the crown above his brow. "No, my boy. That is not what I am asking of you. I already know that your sword and your courage will always stand by her. "

"I have nothing more to give her, Your Highness."

He looked into the boy's eyes, seeing confusion swirling in the blue depths. _Eyes so young should not look so worn_ , he thought suddenly. Daphnes leaned forward, closing the distance between them. He placed a single finger upon the boy's chest, pointing to the beating heart within.

"Yes, you do."

He took his leave then, but Link did not notice. He remained seated in the plush chair, eyes wide and unseeing as he imagined a future that he could suddenly dare to dream.


End file.
